Brownfields Initiative Request for QualificationsProfessional ConsultingServicesI. IntroductionThe County of Bladen, NC (http://www.bladennc.govoffice3.com/) invites interested parties to submit statements of qualification and experience to provide environmental and engineering consulting services on a task order basis for the County’s new Brownfields program over a five year period of performance. The County is looking for firms with documented experience providing Brownfields (environmental) assessments and related services for local governments with similar characteristics to Bladen.Bladen is also looking for a consultant to provide support in the identification of potential funding sources including identifying and assisting with grant applications. The objectives of the County are to complete the following:• Develop a successful Brownfields initiative by assisting the County with development, implementation, and management of the program.• Identify and pursue Brownfields funding and resources.• Encourage community involvement in the Brownfields process.II. Scope of WorkThe consultant will be expected to perform the following tasks on an as-needed basis:• Grant Preparation and Administration: The consultant may be asked to take the lead in grant application preparation with input and review by the County. Included in this task is the collection of data required in the grant application, meeting with existing community groups and assistance in the identification of potential properties or areas to be included in the application. Once grants have been awarded, the consultant will, with the County’s help and guidance, administer the grant.• Property Identification and Inventory: The consultant may be asked to work with the County to identify, develop and refine a database of potential Brownfield properties. Included in this work will be the development and implementation of a set of criteria to prioritize the identified properties for evaluation.• Site Characterization and Assessment Activities: As part of the work, the consultant may be asked to conduct Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESA) and Phase II ESAs as well as preparation of cleanup plans. Included in this task is development of the following plans:• Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPP);• Site specific Sampling and Analysis Plans (SAPs);• Health and Safety Plans (HASP); and• Site investigation reports.Documents are required to follow applicable state and industry standards including ASTM and All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) standards for property transactional work.• Community Involvement Assistance: The consultant may be asked to support the County in public involvement and community outreach activities to ensure that the community concerns are considered and addressed in the assessment planning and execution process of the projects. The following activities may be included.• Develop a community engagement plan to detail a strategy for involving the community in Brownfield activities.• Conduct public meetings and hearings to solicit community interest and provide educational information.• Create and facilitate a Brownfield Task Force (BTF) to review and recommend sites to be assessed and characterized.• Develop and implement effective methods of communicating information about the Brownfield program to the public (website, information sheets, mails, etc).• Consult with prospective private landowners and developers to encourage participation in the program.• Cleanup and Development Planning: The consultant may be asked to complete site-specific cleanup and redevelopment planning documents, including Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA’s), site remediation Work Plans, conceptual redevelopment site plans, etc. In addition, Consultant may be asked to conduct community visioning sessions, charities, and/or workshops to solicit input and generate redevelopment options. The Consultant may also assist in the negotiation of voluntary cleanup with the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR).• Cleanup and Remediation Activities: The consultant may be asked to complete cleanup and remediation of selected Brownfield properties in accordance with the NCDENR Inactive Hazardous Sites Branch voluntary remediation program (IHSB) other agency requirements, and/or United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requirements. Activities may include the preparation of a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) and Health and Safety Plan (HASP), securing all approvals and permits, completing confirmation sampling activities, developing bid documentation, coordinating and overseeing site remediation activities, and/or completing the site remediation activities.• Other Brownfield Related Duties: Other duties that may be required for a successful program but that have not been anticipated in this call for services.III. Response Format/Evaluation CriteriaOne (1) original and two (2) copies of the statements of qualifications and experience shall be submitted. The submittal shall be no longer than 10 pages and shall include the information outlined below. To ensure fair and equitable evaluation, proposals must be organized into the following separate sections.• Experience and CapaThe response shall include a summary of the following:• History of the firm’s experience providing Brownfields services as described herein.• Brownfields grant application and administration experience.• Brownfields project experience.• Description of the firm’s organizational structure and the names and experience of key individuals including professional registrations, site investigation, and experience working with the USEPA and NCDENR.• Disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest.2.0 ReferencesThe response shall include at least three (3) references for similar services that have been provided by your firm and the dates of service. Please include the reference name, company, and phone number. Also include a description of the services and key personnel that were involved in the project.3.0 Proposed MethodologyThe response shall include an organization chart in addition to a description of how the firm will complete the scope of work described herein. Include a description of the relevant services provided by your firm. Finally, included a concise statement of why your firm should be selected by the County.IV. Selection CriteriaThe responding firms will be evaluated on the following criteria.• Experience and ability to complete the work.• Demonstrated Brownfields experience including successful grant writing and administration along with a demonstrated ability to work with USEPA and NCDENR.• Approach and understanding of the scope of work.• Proven track record of community engagement.• Environmental assessment experience.• Quality of performance on similar projects.• Participation of small, minority, woman, and veteran owned businesses.Oral presentations to the County may be requested. The request for an oral presentation shall in no way constitute acceptance or imply that an agreement is pending. The County reserves the right to award this opportunity based on the initial RFQ response without oral presentations.The County reserves the right to reject any and all responses. Firms not selected will be notified in writing by the County.V. Address and DeadlineResponses to this RFQ should be delivered to Greg Martin, Bladen County Manager, 106 E. Broad Street, Elizabethtown NC 28337. The submittal deadline is 2 pm on January 21, 2014.